


Under the Shade of the Juniper Tree

by Dragonie



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gift Fic, Having Some Beers and a Chat, M/M, Parenthood, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 11:52:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11646000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonie/pseuds/Dragonie
Summary: Parenting ain't easy in the Wasteland, 'specially in a job like his, but Courier Ezra Walker does what he can.Giftfic for DJFero!





	Under the Shade of the Juniper Tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [McFearo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/McFearo/gifts).



                Blue skies over the Mojave, colour of desert bluebells his mother kept pressed in the pages of an old book, clouds white an’ fluffy like pre-war sheep he saw in a picture once.

                Honestly, he preferred the bighorners. Folks said they was ugly sonsabitches, but then, they said the same ‘bout him, so he felt a certain kinship. They was big an’ brawny, but never violent ‘less you gave ‘em good reason to be, an’ he admired that.

                Junebug seemed to like ‘em, too, from the way she ran an’ played in the field, all toothy grin an’ scraped knees, tryna catch herself one; wanted, as she put it, “a noble steed as is befittin’ the brave warrior what I am,” ED-E trailin’ at her heels like some kinda beepin’, flyin’ dog.

                Ezra weren’t worried, though. Herd might not normally take too kindly to strangers runnin’ about an’ tryna leap on their backs, but they were gentle as lambs with her. It was in the blood, he reckoned.

                “Hey, daddy,” she shouted up to him, strokin’ through the wiry fur of a big ol’ male with horns almost larger’n she was. “This one’s mine an’ I’m namin’ him Pumpkin an’ we’re gonna charge into battle ‘gainst Billy from school ‘cuz he made Sella cry!” Pumpkin looked at her indifferently through rheumy eyes.

                “‘Attagirl, Junebug!” From his seat up on the stairs, Ezra lifted his beer bottle up in salute. “You kick them bullies’ asses!”

                “See the family resemblance,” Ulysses mused from beside him. His hand was warm against Ezra’s; his fingers were rough with callus, but then, so were Ezra’s. Hadn’t expected the _other_ Courier Six to be the handholdin’ type, but then, he was jus’ full of surprises these days, seemed like.

                “Dunno ‘bout that,” Ezra cracked a snaggletoothed grin, took a swig of beer. (Warm, sadly – no workin’ refrigerators for miles – but you couldn’t have everything, and he had damn near enough.) “She’s a hell of a lot cuter’n I ever was.”

                Corner of Ulysses’ mouth quirked up.

                “Beasts seem calm around her.” He jerked his head downwards where Juniper, wielding a stick, fought imaginary bullies through the cornfield as the herd looked on, bemused but docile. “Has your gift with animals, no doubt there.”

                Ezra’s grin widened.

                “You should see her with a Deathclaw. Seen ‘em eatin’ out of her hand, all peaceful-like.”

                Ulysses raised his eyebrows, but did not challenge this. Seen stranger things in the wastes, himself, maybe.

                He took his own sip of the beer Ezra had pressed into his hand, and grimaced at it.

                “Had bitter drink, tasted better than this swill,” he grumbled.

                Ezra chuckled.

                “Well,” he said, doin’ his best impression of a White Glove. “If sir’s delicate tastebuds’re offended, then p’raps sir oughta get his delicate ass on over to the Ultra-Luxe an’ stop lettin’ me buy him drinks!”

                Ulysses gave him A Look, an’ Ezra couldn’t help but burst into a snickerin’ fit, Ulysses’ hand still clutched tightly in his as he doubled over, shoulders shaking. It probably weren’t that funny a joke, really, but Christ, if it didn’t feel like a long time since he could laugh like that. Felt like the scars weren’t hurtin’ so much, out here in the sun. Day like this, the war, the lottery, the shallow grave, felt like a lifetime ago, somewhere far away from here, like it all happened in a book he’d read an’ not to him.

                Down the hill, Juniper squealed as she _almost_ succeeded in climbin’ on top of Pumpkin. The bighorner absent-mindedly munched on a yucca bush as the girl tried an’ failed to clamber up its shaggy flanks.

                “–C’mon, Pumpkin, be a good war-beast an’ lemme ride you –” Her voice floated up to the stairs on the warm desert breeze.

                “Never expected you to have a child,” Ulysses mused, as he watched Junebug at play.

                “Heh, yeah, I done surprised you wi’ that one, I guess. Plain forgot I ain’t mentioned it, in all the talkin’ we did. Still,” Ezra grinned at the memory. “Shoulda seen yer face at th’ time. Thought you’d watched me enough, y’ shoulda known.”

                Ulysses looked askance at him.

                “Hmm. Never brought her to the Divide. Not following you around the _entire_ Mojave, had work of my own.”

                Ezra feigned shock, clutching his hand as dramatically to his heart as he could without droppin’ the beer bottle, eyes wide.

                “You gon’ hurt a man, talkin’ like that. An’ t’ think I’d follow you anywhere!” He shook his head, tutted.

                Ulysses smiled, despite himself.

                Hand in hand, they watched the girl bound about the field, full of life an’ joy, and it were almost enough to let Ezra forget he was a wanderin’ man, for a time, an’ wish that every day could be spent like this, just he and his lover and his daughter, an’ no wars or shootin’ to break the peace.

                Couldn’t stay, he knew, his damn fool nature wouldn’t let him. Soon, he’d be out chasin’ the next horizon. At least he wouldn’t be lonely, he thought, as he glanced at the man next to him – Ulysses’d come too, havin’ finally agreed to leave that shithole of a Divide behind an’ come with Ezra, though god only knew what Ulysses saw in him – but it weren’t no life for a child, no matter how much he wished he knew how to stay in one place an’ be a proper dad for Junebug. Couldn’t change what he was, not even for her, and _god_ , he’d tried. Shit, he was tryna avoid this kinda thinkin’; but it was too late, the familiar ol’ guilt was twistin’ in his belly like a worm again.

                “…Did the right thing, leave the child with her mother,” Ulysses said, after a while. Ezra stopped short, eyes swivelin’ to the man by his side. Man had an uncanny way of bein’ able to figure out what he was thinkin’; which, to someone as used to successfully hidin’ shit as Ezra, always managed to catch him off-guard.

                “…You think so?” He spoke slow, careful-like, not quite sure where this conversation was goin’.

                Ulysses nodded.

                “Safer. Roads we walk, Courier… no place for a child, there. No mercy in the Mojave, not even for the young.”

                Several heartbeats passed. Ezra realised he was squeezin’ Ulysses’ hand, had to be too tight. He relaxed his grip a fraction.

                “…I always done right by her.” His voice was weak as he watched Junebug race ED-E around the fenceline. “‘Least, I always tried to. Send her caps all the time, fer her clothes an’ schoolin’ an’ such. An’ I always pop ‘round t’ see her when I can, so’s she knows her daddy loves her–” His voice cracked, an’ he grabbed Ulysses’ hand tight, took strength from the connection. Stayed like that a few more moments, an’ breathed deep. “I done right by her, best I can,” he said, stronger this time.

                Ulysses looked him in the eye, stroked his thumb over the back of Ezra’s hand. Ezra shivered at his touch.

                “Seems happy enough,” he nodded towards the girl. “Spirit in her. Take good care of your kin, Courier. Know that.”

                “…Thanks, Ulysses,” Ezra said hesitantly. He weren’t used to getting’ comfort, least of all from a man what wanted him dead not six months ago. Didn’t rightly know how to respond. He tried to grin, cap it all of with a joke; that usually worked, when shit felt awkward. “‘Course, guess she’s yer kin now, too. Gon’ be callin’ ya ‘Papa Ulysses’ afore too long.”

                Ulysses raised an eyebrow.

                “Deflecting with words again, Cour–”

                “Daddy!” Juniper’s shouts interrupted the conversation as she came runnin’ in leaps an’ bounds to her pa. “Daddy!” she said again, a gleam of excitement in her eye – then, after a moment’s thought, she turned to Ulysses. “An’ daddy’s boyfrien’.” She gave him a short nod of acknowledgement before turnin’ back to her father, grinnin’. “Y’ gotta come lookit this cool bug I found!”

                Ezra gave Ulysses a questionin’ look, and Ulysses nodded back, a hint of a smile on his face, releasin’ his hand.

                “Awright there, Junebug,” Ezra rose to his feet, dustin’ off his jeans, set the bottle to one side. “Bring me to this fascinatin’ insect.”

                Eagerly, Juniper grabbed her dad’s hand and dragged him down the hill, ED-E trailin’ along beepin’ behind them. Ulysses watched from up on the stairs, smilin’, and took another swig of foul-tastin’ beer.

**Author's Note:**

> Giftfic for the lovely DJFero - who drew me some absolutely gorgeous pictures of my courier - featuring his courier, Ezra Walker and his daughter Juniper! Hope you like it, friend! <3


End file.
